Industry Shorts: British & Irish Lions, Football Foundation, Wrexham
The British & Irish Lions have announced a new partnership which will see Fuller’s London Pride become its Official Beer.
The Chiswick-based brewer will launch the partnership with its Roar with Pride campaign, offering supporters a range of VIP experiences around the Lions’ three-Test series against South Africa, as well as incorporating Lions branding across its packaging and products. Fullers will also have pouring rights at the Vodafone 1888 Lions Cup, which will see the representative team play a Test match on home soil for the first time since 2005, when they take on Japan at BT Murrayfield Stadium.
The campaign will also look to support clubhouses and grounds across the UK, with Fuller’s London Pride set to also announce further promotions in partnership with the Lions designed to aid fans, clubs, and the wider rugby community.
The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation has announced the launch of three new funds, totalling more than £16m, to get grassroots football ready to return.
The ‘Game On’ campaign will see clubs access funding for everything from creating a safer environment and getting grass pitches ready to goal posts or portable floodlights to welcome players back when grassroots sport can resume from 29th March.
Game On’s three funding streams include a £2.1 million ‘Return to Football’ fund targeted to support clubs in the highest areas of deprivation in England, disability football and groups underrepresented in football, including women and girls; a £14 million ‘Grass Pitch Maintenance’ fund to provide six-year tapered grants to improve the quality of grass pitches to lower the number of matches cancelled every year; and a small grants fund, which will allow clubs to apply for up to £25k to refurbish changing rooms, pay for grass pitch drainage, new goalposts, pitch maintenance equipment and portable floodlights.
National League side Wrexham AFC have announced Fleur Robinson as their new CEO.
Robinson is currently Commercial Director, Burton Albion, and will start her new role in Wales on 1st June, joining the club which has recently been acquired by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
According to the club, the recruitment process was led by a team of counsellors including Paul Nolan Partners, Peter Moore, Shaun Harvey and Steve Horowitz. READ MORE
Shoe brand Allbirds has appointed Lee Price as Director, Campaigns and Storytelling.
The Sport Industry NextGen Leader was previously Head of PR & Mischief at Paddy Power, where he was involved in a host of memorable campaigns, including the brand’s Save Our Shirt campaign, which scooped UK Campaign of the Year at the Sport Industry Awards 2020.
Leeds United have announced digital payments brand Skrill as an Official Partner.
The deal will see Skrill become a live payments option on the Leeds United online merchandise store and ticketing portal, while its branding will be displayed around Elland Road throughout all of Leeds’ home matches via LED advertising around the stadium.
Skrill will also work with the club on a range of exclusive content campaigns, providing fans with additional entertainment and access to players.
Bolton Wanderers have announced a new partnership with carbon-negative mobility app SKOOT.
The app will become the club’s Official Lift Partner for fans, building on a similar partnership with fellow EFL side Forest Green Rovers.
The partnership will see the app connect Bolton fans who want to travel to matches together once supporters are permitted to return to stadiums, lowering carbon emissions, and will also allow them to help fellow supporters and those in the local community who are isolated or in need of a hand with errands.
